Desire
by Penelope Fiction
Summary: Aliya had been promised to Tsu'Tey from the day she was born. What happens when she meets Korac, who understands her better than anyone? Will she follow her head or her heart?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Who am I? And where, I wonder, will this story end? I have been a Na'Vi all my life. I have stayed true to the Omaticaya clan. I've learned to hunt and use the bond to my advantage. I've been raised well by the village.

My life seemed very predictable several years ago, but now I can see that it was building up to this moment. When I would have to decide my own fate. How I will decide, I do not know yet.

What I do know, though, is what I should be doing. I'm torn between duty and desire. I don't know where I belong? Should I risk everything I've ever learned and follow him into the realm of longing or should I remain faithful to my family and remain miserable for all my life?

Should I listen to my head or to my heart?

Can I really turn my back on everything that I've ever been taught? Can I betray my family? Betray Tsu'Tey?

I'm clearly in a lot of trouble.


	2. Chapter One

A/N: All characters speak in the Na'Vi language. I just write the translation.

**Chapter One **

The insanely green forest closed over everything as I searched for my prey. I loved hunting. It was my release. Here I could give into all of my carnal, inhumane desires, while still maintaining the decorum that my family expected of me when all were looking.

My fifth arrow hit my target. I picked it up and slung it over my shoulders, not bothering to check what it was. I knew that I should have stayed at Hometree. My father had requested to see me there.

I ran back as fast as my legs would carry me, not knowing whether what my father was going to tell me was good or bad.

When I made it to Hometree, I lay my carcass down in the designated area and waited for my father. He arrived about ten minutes later and motioned for me to come and take a walk with him.

I obeyed immediately, knowing that my duty in life was to obey my father. I didn't like the fact that he had all of this control over me, but, then again, he gave me so much more freedom than most girls.

"Aliya," he began. "You've grown up so quickly."

I sighed. "Father, what's wrong?" I could sense the trepidation in his breaths.

"Tomorrow you will be eighteen. That is the age Tsu'Tey's parents wagered. That is the age you will be when you marry him."

I had never been incredibly happy about the fact that I didn't get to choose my own husband. According to my father, Tsu'Tey and I had been destined to be wedded since the day I was born. He was two.

During our adolescent years, we had been pushed to get along and be friends. The truth was, Tsu'Tey was nice enough, if not too temperamental, and he was a fantastic hunter. That was all women in our clan really looked for in a husband. I don't think many of them believed in love.

No matter how much easier it would be, no matter how much I wanted to love Tsu'Tey, I couldn't. I couldn't make myself love. I knew that there was someone out there who was the right person for me, but I definitely hadn't met him yet.

My father had been arranged to marry my aunt, Kaya, but he defied his parents and ran away with my mother, Kaya's sister. My aunt, Kaya, knows that she cannot take revenge on my mother for stealing her love, because she was dead. So instead she took everything out on me. She really was in love with him. Love was common in our clan, but was often unrequited.

Father looked at me with a confused expression colouring his tone. He was obviously waiting for me to say something.

"When will I marry him?"

"In seven days." Father answered, sounding enthusiastic. He loved Tsu'Tey. Amongst my friends, we often joked that my father would make a better wife for Tsu'Tey than me.

"All right." I replied.

"You must go. Tsu'Tey's parents and I have some very important things to discuss. We must plan the wedding."

I ran off, resuming my hunting in the evermore green forest. I don't think that my father knew that I wasn't in love with Tsu'Tey. And if he knew, I don't suppose he would have cared. All that mattered was that Tsu'Tey was a good hunter and gatherer and that he would provide for his daughter.

I was about to shoot my arrow into another creature, when another beat me to it. I looked at the arrow's owner and felt my heart fly. He was definitely from our village, but I had never seen him before.

He had broad shoulders and kind eyes. He seemed strong and gentle at the same time, somehow. I felt an immediate urge to know him.

Who was this man?


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

He must have seen the look of surprise on my face, but I think he mistook it for rage. He backed away from the dead carcass slowly. "You can have it if you want." he offered.

"No, no." I replied in a whisper. "It's all right."

He raised his eyebrows at me, definitely wondering whether I had some sort of personality disorder. I raised my hand out to him. "I'm Aliya."

He took it. I felt his strong, firm grip on mine and savoured it, for I had never been touched like that. People generally treated me like a fragile flower, whereas he did not mind my feeling a slight pressure. I enjoyed it.

"I'm Korac." he said to me. Even after we knew each other's names, it took him a while to let go of my hand. I liked that.

"Why haven't I seen you before?" I asked immediately. He smiled at my abruptness.

"I live amongst the Omaticaya clan, but in a group that lives away from Hometree."

I shook my head. I had never heard of such a group.

"It doesn't matter where I live though. You really can take it." Korac said, motioning to the dead carcass on the ground. I had forgotten all about it.

"No. You killed it. You should take it." I replied sincerely.

Without saying another word, he picked up the carcass and put it into my arms. When I was about to speak, he put a finger to my lips.

"Shhh. Don't say anything about this to anyone. You'll be humiliated." he laughed, as if he couldn't care less what anyone thought.

I was prepared to thank him, when I realised that he had only just removed that lingering finger. He started walking the way he had come, and shouted over his shoulder,

"I expect we'll be seeing each other again soon."

_Why? _Oh, the wedding. If he knew about it, why had he acted so lustfully towards me? As I walked back to Hometree with the carcass slung across my shoulders, instead of thinking of my impending wedding, I was imagining when I would see Korac again.

--*--

Our next meeting was definitely more interesting than the last. Rather than getting caught up in the plans of a wedding I wanted nothing to do with, I spent the next few days letting my imagination run wild, spending all my time looking at the clouds and stars.

He managed to find me at my most vulnerable. Rather than going back to Hometree, I fell asleep where I had been gazing at the stars. When I awoke, early into the morning, I felt a presence near me.

I looked to my side, and there he was. I couldn't believe that he had let himself come so close to me at my most vulnerable. I am a very deep sleeper. I could have cut his skin deeply without noticing.

But somehow I knew Korac wouldn't do that to me. Somehow I felt as if I could trust him.

His arm brushed mine in a deliberate fashion. "Do you come here often?" he asked.

"Only in the last few days." I heard myself say.

He sighed. "Aliya, I can tell something's wrong. Why have you been hiding?"

"I haven't been hiding." I immediately countered to this accusation.

"Please," he replied in a sarcastic tone. "I didn't think you were a liar."

I sighed as well, knowing that there was a long explanation in front of me.

Korac touched my cheek and lifted my head up until we were looking into each other's eyes.

"Tell me everything."


	4. Chapter Three

Note: Tsu'Tey is OOC, because I imagine that he only became so surly after the events of the story.

**Chapter Three**

I couldn't believe that this man, who was a total stranger to me, expected me to tell him my life's story. Even stranger was the fact that I was willing to tell him. Lying on the grass and looking up at the clouds softened my expression. When Korac was totally relaxed, I began my story.

"Ever since I was born, I have been betrothed to a boy named Tsu'Tey. He's a fantastic hunter, but very arrogant. I've never liked him, but we were always told to play together and be nice to each other, so I obliged. Now I've turned eighteen and that's the age that Tsu'Tey's parents told us that this was the age that I would be when I married Tsu'Tey. So I'm seven days away from being wedded to a man who I dislike and cannot ever imagine living with."

Korac nodded like he understood. "So, what are you going to do about it?"

I immediately met his steely gaze. "What do you mean? There's nothing to do. I have been told that I must marry this man, so I will marry him."

"But you don't love him." he pointed out.

"Does it matter?" I replied. "Most people here don't marry for love."

Korac stared at me intensely. "I would."

At that moment, I began to realise how similar we were. But because I was so naive, I thought nothing of it.

"Aliya," he began. "You're eighteen. You need to start thinking for yourself, not for other people. You have to know what's right for yourself. No one can decide what's right for you, but you. If you don't love this man, you shouldn't marry him."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "You have absolutely no consideration for Tsu'Tey or our families. What would they think?"

Korac sighed. "That's the thing! It doesn't matter. All that matters is that you're happy and if your father really loves you, he will accept that."

I couldn't stand any more talk on this subject. "I have to go." I replied, immediately setting myself on my feet.

Korac stood too. He took my hand in his. "Please, Aliya. Please think about what I've said. You'll see that I only have your best interests at heart."

I nodded and continued in the other direction.

_What a lunatic! _

_But, _the irrational part of my brain interjected, _if he's such a lunatic, why is everything he says perfectly right?_

--*--

After I had returned to Hometree, I had nothing to do with the rest of my day. I tried to do productive things, but they lost my interest quickly. I was busy attempting to weave grass when my father arrived.

I stood. "I see you, Father." This was symbolism of the respect children have for their parents.

"Aliya, I have spoken to Tsu'Tey's parents." he smiled excitedly.

"What did they say?" I asked curiously.

"There will be an engagement party tonight!" Father exclaimed. "I wanted to tell you now so that you would have time to make yourself presentable."

I thanked him and he left me alone. I contemplated my impending marriage and decided that I would be a good sport, no matter what Korac said.

I was styling my hair in a different fashion than usual and preparing myself for the party, when Tsu'Tey appeared in front of me. We greeted each other in a polite manner.

There was an awkward silence in the air after our friendly greeting. He cleared his throat. "You look beautiful."

I smiled at his compliment. "Thank you."

"I want you to know that I'm looking forward to this. To marrying you." Tsu'Tey told me.

"Me too." I lied. "I'm sure we'll be very happy."

"And have numerous healthy children." he finished.

_Goodness, I hadn't even thought of that._

I pretended to be joyous. "Yes. It should be a very fruitful arrangement. I will see you at the party." And I ushered him out.

I continued to beautify myself and was about to leave for the party, when Korac arrived.

"What are you doing?" I asked him, confusion colouring my tone.

"I wanted to visit you before the party and apologize."

"Apologize?" This was the last thing that I was expecting.

"Yes. I shouldn't be telling you how to live your life. In the end, it's your decision."

I thanked him, but really I was thinking about what Tsu'Tey had said.

_...many healthy children...many healthy children...many healthy children..._

"You look stunning, by the way." Korac noted.

I thanked him. He took my hand in his own and kissed it. "Shall we go?"

I nodded.


End file.
